Electric-arc lamp



(No Model.) "2 Sheets-Sheet 1.. J. BRADY. ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

No. 355,129. Patented Dec. 28, 1886.

N, PETERS, PnowmhmP -r. Wuhlugton. n c.

(NoModeL) J BRADY. 2 Sheets-Sheetfl. ELECTRIC ARC LAMP. No. 355,129. Patented Dec. 28. 1886.

jwanzar Z00??? was as UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

JAMES BRADY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,129, dated December 28, 1886.

Application filed March 6, 1884. Serial No. 123,298. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMEs BRADY, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, (assignor to the FULLER ELECTRICAL COMPANY on NEW YORK CITY,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Electric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement applies more especially to the mechanism of electric lamps which is geared with the carbon holder, and which serves to retard or regulate its descent when released to produce the feed; and it consists, in brief, in a rotary Wheel geared with the carbon holder and having a tubular rim charged with a quantity of mercury or its equivalent, whereby the descent of the carhon-holder will rapidly revolve the wheel and tend to raise the mercury up in the ascending side of the rim, the friction and weight of which will offer a regular and certain resistance, which will act to retard the rotation of the wheel, and thus serve to render the descent of the carbon -'holder smooth and steady.

Another feature of my invention consists in connecting the pinion of the carbon holder with its retarding-train by means of a movable clutch, whereby the same may be shifted out of connection, and the carbon-holder thus freely and rapidly raised or lowered to any point without moving the retarding-train, and when the clutch is released it will again clutch the pinion with the train to support the holder in the desired position.

My invention also embodies a safety device which in case of any dangerous degree of separation of the carbon points will act to ship the aforesaid clutch and allow the upper carbon to instantly drop into contact with the lower one. This I effect by a shunt-magnet, which tends to attract and shift the said clutch out of engagement, which it will do whenever the magnet becomes abnormally attractive, due to abnormal separation, and thereby allow the carbon to drop and prevent any interruption of the light or any damage to the circuit.

My invention also embodies some details in connection with the aforesaid leading features, as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings I have shown my invention applied to a well-known type of lamp,

I such as made by The Fuller Electrical Company; but it may be applied to any other suitable lamp. 7

Figure 1 presents a side elevation of the head or regulator portion of the lamp, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional front elevation on an enlarged scale, showing more particularly the chief novel features alone.

In the drawings the fixed framework is shown as composed of the usual circular metallic plates, a a, joined rigidly by the standards b b, and the whole inclosed by the cylindrical case 0.

d is the carbonholder, which slides freely through central openings in the plates a if, and is provided on. one side with a line of rackteeth, as usual.

6 is the armature-lever, which is pivoted on the trunnion-screws f, between the standards I) b, and one arm of which is jointed to the H- shaped armature 9, while the other arm is connected to oncend of the retractiugspring h, which connects at the opposite end to the adjusting-screw i.

k is the pair of solenoids on the lower plate, which receive and act on the two lower poles of the armature, and Z the pair of solenoids on the upper plate, which receive and act on the upper poles of the armature, according to the well-kuown arrangement. The upper solenoids, Z, are presumed to be wound with fine wire and situated in a shunt around the arc, while the lower solenoids, k, are presumed to be wound with coarse wire and situated in direct circuit with the arc, according to the system now commonly adopted in electric-arc lamps.

The above-named parts are all presumed to be of the ordinary Well-known character, and

therefore need no further description.

Now, in the armature frame or lever e is journaled a shaft or spindle, in, on which is keyed a wheel, A, having a tubular or hollow rim, as fully shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which rim is charged with a quantity of mercury, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to a level preferably below its diameter, as shown; but a particular quantity is not essential. Upon the shaft m, adjoining the hub of the mercury-wheel A, is loosely fitted thetoothed pinion a, which gears IOO in the usual manner with the rack-teeth on the carbon-holder d, and is also provided with a ratchet-wheel, 0, which rests against the hub of the wheel A, and engages with a pawl, 12, pivoted on one of the spokes of the wheel.

It will be seen that the mercury-wheel A takes the place of the retarding-train of clockwork generally employedin this class of lamps, and that the pinion a is connected with the retarding device of the lamp by the usual ratchet device, which, as will be seen on reference to Fig. 1, will engage in the direction which the carbon descends, and thus revolve the wheel by the descent of the carbon, but

will slip in the opposite direction and allow the carbon-holder to be rapidly raised up by the hand without revolving the retarding de vice. This ratchet-pinion a is not, however, fixed longitudinally on the shaft m, as heretofore, but is capable of a longitudinal movement to and from the wheel A and its pawl 12, and is provided with a grooved collar, r, at one end, which is engaged by the forked end of a lever, s, which, as shown best in Fig. 3, is preferably of elbow form, pivoted on the lower plate, a, and having a pendent manipulating'knob, t, connected with one arm thereof and hanging below the plate a. A spring, a, hearing at one end against a collar, on, fixed on the shaft m, tends to constantly press the ratchet-pinion up against the wheel A,to hold its ratchet in engagement therewith, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 3, 2, and 1.

Above the rim of the wheel A is arranged a brake-shoe, v, as shown in Fig. 1, which is fixed on the end of a spring-arm, a, which projects from and is fixed to a lug on one of the standards I). An adjusting screw, to, bears on the spring, which tends constantly to spring away from the wheel, and by screwing which back or forth the screw can be adjusted to the proper distance from the periphery of the wheel, as will be readily comprehended.

The general mechanism of the lamp being new set forth, its action will be readily understood, referring to Fig. lthat is, when the lamp is out of action with no current flowing in the magnets Z, the retracting-spring h will sway the armature-lever so as to raise the armature g and depress the shaft m, with its wheel A and other attachments, and correspondingly depress the carbon-holder d, the amount of this movement being slight, but sufficient to withdraw the periphery of the wheel A from contact with the brake-shoe 1), thereby releasing the wheel from the grasp of the brake-shoe and leaving it free to revolve. The carbon-holder will 110w descend and revolve the wheel A, which revolution will tend to raise the mercury up the ascending side of the wheel, and the slight friction and weight of this mass or column of mercury in the wheel will thus act to retard the rotation of the wheel in a peculiarly smooth and uniform manner, thereby preventing the wheel from acquiring any momentum, and compelling the carbon-holder to descend with a slow and regular motion, and thus accomplish this desired result without the necessity of complicated trains of gearing and escapements as heretofore used. The carbon-holder will thus descend slowly and smoothly until the upper carbon touches and rests upon the lower carbon, when the holder will come to rest and the rotation of the wheel cease. If the lamp is now put in circuit, the lower magnet, It, will attract the armature and depress that end of the armaturelever and bodily raise the carbonholder, and with it the shaft on and wheel A, a slight distance, and thereby bring the periphery of the wheel A against the blil-kGSllOG 0, thus separating the carbons and forming the are, and at the same time holding the carbonholder and the wheel A stationary by the frictional grasp of the shoe u so long as the lifting action or attraction of the magnet is prepon derates over the lowering action or attraction of the magnet Z. Vhen, however, the attraction of the magnet Z preponderates, as it will do when the arc lengthens, the armature-lever will be swayed slightly in the opposite direc tion and the pressure of the periphery on the brake-shoe released, thus allowing the carbonholder to descend the required distance for feed, when the wheel will be again brought up against the brake. These movements will of course go on repeatedly while the lamp is in action, the wheel A always acting when released to render the descent of the carbon slow and steady, as will be understood, and thus forming a most simple and efficient retarding device.

It will be seen that in my invention the mercury is simply hermetically sealed in the hollow of a tubular rimmed wheel, and hence the complication of packed joints, revolving paddles or apertures likely to allow leakage, or the use of parts likely to become clogged are entirely obviated.

I am of course aware that mercury or other liquids have been employed in drums or cylinders in which paddles were revolved for a similar purpose; but my invention is an obvious improvement on that and distinct therefrom.

The rim of the wheel A is preferably stamped up from sheet iron in two semicircular grooved sections, which are flanged together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, after the mercury is placed in the under section, with a packing, 3 between the flanges, which are swagcd firmly together by pressure, so as to make a perfectly tight joint, as will be understood. The hollow annulus-like rim thus formed is then soldered onto a thin spoked disk, which may also be stamped out of sheet metal, or cast, and forms the center of the wheel, as fully shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, thus rendering the construction simple and effective.

Referring first to Fig. 1, it will be further seen that when the lamp is out of circuit the carbon-holder may be freely raised up to any desired point without revolving the wheel A, as the pawl 19 will slip over the ratchet when revolved by the rise of the rod without revolving the wheel A. If, however, it is afterward desired to run the rod down quickly to any desired position, this may be done by pulling the knob 15, (see Fig. 3,) which will slide the pinion n on the shaft m against the stress of the spring a, and thus withdraw the ratchet 0 away from the side of the wheel A and out of engagement with the pawl 19, so that the carbon-holder may now be run down quickly to the desired point, and the pinion and ratchet n 0 revolved in the reverse direction without affecting the wheel A, and as soon as the knob t is released the pinion and ratchet will slide back into engagement with the wheel, and thus hold the carbon in the desired position.

It will be seen that when the ratchet is thus withdrawn from the pawl 19 the pawl will be prevented by a stop-pin, w, from falling out of the position or plane in which it engages the teeth of the ratchet-wheel; and it will be further noted on reference to Figs. 3 and 2 that the ends of the ratchet-teeth next the wheel A are beveled off, so that in case the end of a tooth strikes the tip of the pawl when the ratchetclutch again slides into gear the pawl will rise freely over the tooth and fall into correct engagement with the toothed periphery of the ratchet-wheel, thus preventing the possibility of fouling either in the clutching or unclutching movement of the parts, as will be readily appreciated.

In Fig. 3, I illustrate the safety device before referred to, which acts to allow the carbon to drop in case any dangerous separation occurs momentarily at the carbon points, caused, for instance, by a sudden breaking off of a piece of carbon or by a clogging of the feeding mechanism, which would prevent the normal feed motion of the carbon. In Fig. 3, Z indicates a magnet of high resistance arranged in a shunt around the are, as illustrated in diagram. This magnet tends constantly to attract the clutchlever s, but under normal conditions and by proper adjustments is not able to do so. In case, however, any abnormal separation occurs at the carbon points so as to offer abnormal resistance to the main current, then the shuntmagnet Z will receive an unusual proportion of current and become abnormally attractive, and thus attract the lever s, and thereby ship the clutch between the carbon-holder and retarding-wheel A, thus leaving the carbonholder free to drop instantly into contact with the lower carbon, and thus preventing any in terruption of the are or any danger to the circuit from the continuance of a dangerously long are.

Instead of using a charge of mercury in the wheel A, any other suitable heavy liquid or a mobile substance, such as regular sand or shot,

and an armature -or armature-bar swayed thereby, of a rotary spindle or axis journaled on said bar and geared with the carbon-holder. and provided with the hollow rimmed wheel A, having a charge of mercury or its equivalent, and a brake or stop, such as 1;, arranged to engage said wheel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an electricarc lamp, the combination, with the carbon-holder and a retarding-wheel geared thereto, of a movable clutch arranged to operatively engage the holder therewith or disengage it therefrom, with a manipulating device for manually shifting the clutch into or out of action, whereby the carbon-holder may be quickly raised or lowered by hand without moving the retarding device, substantially as herein set forth.

3. The combination, in an electric-arc lamp of the type shown, with the carbon-holder d, the axis mfand its retarding device and suitable supports therefor, of the sliding clutchpinion 12, mounted on said axis, gearing with the carbon-holder, and arranged to engage the retarding device, with a spring to constantly press the pinion into engagement and a manipulating device for manually withdrawing the pinion from engagement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

4:. In an electric-arc lamp in which the carbon-holder is geared with a retarding device" or train through a ratchet device which engages in the direction of gravitation-and slips 7 in the reverse direction, the combination therewith of a movable clutch arranged to detach or separate the parts, and a manipulating de vice connecting therewith and projecting from the exterior of the lamp, whereby the ratchetclutch may be unshipped and the carbon-holder raised or lowered quickly without revolving the retarding wheel or wheels, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The combination, in an electriclamp,with the carbon-holder d, the axis m and its retarding device, and suitable supports therefor, of the sliding clutch-pinion n, gearing with the carbon-holder and arranged to engage the wheel with the spring u, levers, and knob t, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an electric lamp, the combinatiomwith the carbon-holder and the retardingwheel provided with the pawl p, of the sliding pinion a, gearing with the carbon-holder and provided with the ratchet-wheel 0, having teethwith beveled ends arranged in relation with the wheel and its pawl, and suitable means for sliding the pinion and ratchet to or from the wheel and paw], substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In combination with the operating mechanism of an electric1a1np,the regulating-Wheel a magnet in a shunt around the are arranged A, having a hollow rim made in two overlying to open said clutch and allow the carbon-holder grooved sections charged with a quantity of to drop free from the retarding device when mercury or its equivalent, and joined tightly the magnet becomes abnormally attractive due 15 5 bya central overturned flanged joint, substanto abnormal are, substantially as shown and tially as herein shown and described. described.

8. In an electric lamp the combination with the fixed frame and the niovable carbon-holder, JAMES BRADY of a retarding wheel or train geared with the \Vitnesses: Io carbon-holder, and a detachable clutch in the J N0. E. GAVIN,

connection between the holder and train, with CHAS. M. HIGGINS. 

